PITTSBURGH—Nov. 13, 2018—The close of Backpage.com put an end to the single largest site in the U.S. for online sex trafficking. However, ads have moved quickly into other venues online, now surpassing the volume on Backpage.com.

Marinus Analytics, a technology company spun out of Carnegie Mellon University, noticed this trend using its proprietary Traffic Jam tool, which uses AI to trawl through patterns and trends in online activity, turning it into actionable intelligence.

In April 2018, the FOSTA-SESTA (Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act and Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act) became law. In the same month, Backpage.com was shut down by the FBI. This disrupted online sex ad activity significantly—but only for a short time.

Despite the disruption, in the following months, the activity has grown again and surpassed the levels seen in early 2018. The observed average daily volume of ad activity on the leading U.S. escort websites is greater currently than it was on Backpage.com in the days leading up to the shutdown.

If you are a law enforcement agent or prosecutor and want to receive a copy of the White Paper covering the details, email info@marinusanalytics.com or call at (866) 945-2803.

About Marinus Analytics

Marinus Analytics is a woman-owned company founded in 2014 out of Carnegie Mellon Robotics. We investigate how AI can turn big data online into actionable intelligence. We know that it's not just about data: it's about people. Behind massive data streams are the individuals who create them. Whether it's a dealer posting drugs for sale online, a criminal behind thousands of financial transactions, or a victim behind millions of adult advertisements...we pinpoint the person in the data. The AI solutions we deploy help law enforcement, government, and the private sector identify and combat criminal activity. Our solutions empower data-driven, people-centric responses in the modern age.